Commas in lists

Punctuation

CCSS L.3.2CCSS L.5.2.AEngland: Y2 GPS (commas in lists)England: Y3 GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas in lists.

I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
I can explain each step and say why it works.
I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Capital letters and full stops (periods)

Leads to: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Proofreading for punctuation; Comma before and, but, or, so in compound sentences

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Capital letters and full stops (periods)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Which sentence is written correctly? • The moon is bright tonight. • the moon is bright tonight • The moon is bright tonight • the moon is bright tonight. (The moon is bright tonight. / the moon is bright tonight / The moon is bright tonight / the moon is bright tonight.) → The moon is bright tonight.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? my cat ate a fish. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the first word.
Which sentence is written correctly? • We made a big sandcastle • we made a big sandcastle. • We made a big sandcastle. • we made a big sandcastle (We made a big sandcastle / we made a big sandcastle. / We made a big sandcastle. / we made a big sandcastle) → We made a big sandcastle.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.

Hook · 6 min

Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
Share the objective: Commas in lists. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: Which sentence uses commas correctly? • We saw lions tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers, and, bears. • We saw, lions, tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers and bears.
Step 1: Put a comma between items in a list. Before the last item use 'and' (US writers often add a comma before 'and' too: the serial or Oxford comma).
Step 2: So the answer is: We saw lions, tigers and bears.
Answer: We saw lions, tigers and bears.
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions. • Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. • Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. • Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions. (Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions. / Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. / Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. / Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions.) → Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need a torch a map and a compass. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the items in the list.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser. • Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. (Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser. / Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. / Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.) → Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need the bus the train and the ferry. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the items in the list.

Watch out for

Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Capital letters and full stops (periods).
Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

Move on to: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Proofreading for punctuation; Comma before and, but, or, so in compound sentences.
Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Commas in lists

Name

Date

Score/ 8

1
Question 1
Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser.
- A. Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
- B. Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
- C. Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser.
- D. Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser.
2
Question 2
How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need maths science art and music.
- A. 1
- B. 2
- C. 3
- D. 4
3
Question 3
Which sentence uses commas correctly? • We saw lions tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers and bears. • We saw, lions, tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers, and, bears.
- A. We saw lions tigers and bears.
- B. We saw lions, tigers and bears.
- C. We saw, lions, tigers and bears.
- D. We saw lions, tigers, and, bears.
4
Question 4
Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser. • Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser.
- A. Bring, a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
- B. Bring a pencil a ruler and an eraser.
- C. Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
- D. Bring a pencil, a ruler, and, an eraser.
5
Question 5
How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need eggs flour sugar and butter.
- A. 0
- B. 1
- C. 2
- D. 3
6
Question 6
Which sentence uses commas correctly? • We bought apples, pears and plums. • We bought apples pears and plums. • We bought apples, pears, and, plums. • We bought, apples, pears and plums.
- A. We bought apples, pears and plums.
- B. We bought apples pears and plums.
- C. We bought apples, pears, and, plums.
- D. We bought, apples, pears and plums.
7
Question 7
How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need a torch a map and a compass.
- A. 0
- B. 1
- C. 2
- D. 3
8
Question 8
Which sentence uses commas correctly? • I packed, a hat, a towel and some sun cream. • I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream. • I packed a hat a towel and some sun cream. • I packed a hat, a towel, and, some sun cream.
- A. I packed, a hat, a towel and some sun cream.
- B. I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream.
- C. I packed a hat a towel and some sun cream.
- D. I packed a hat, a towel, and, some sun cream.

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Answer key: Commas in lists

1. A. Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
2. B. 2
3. B. We saw lions, tigers and bears.
4. C. Bring a pencil, a ruler and an eraser.
5. C. 2
6. A. We bought apples, pears and plums.
7. B. 1
8. B. I packed a hat, a towel and some sun cream.